Southern Bypass: Murkomen addresses online outcry on bumps, cautions motorists

Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Murkomen now says there are ongoing road repair works on Southern Bypass in Nairobi County, which involves the installation of temporary bumps.

CS Murkomen spoke after visiting the road following reports of numerous fatal accidents caused by bumps on the road, and mostly involving drivers not familiar with the ongoing maintenance.

He stated that relevant authorities are presently engaged in “patching and resurfacing of the road to seal cracks that have emerged due to the ageing of bitumen.”

While expressing his condolences to the families of those that have so far lost their lives on the road, the CS noted that the contractor has since placed road signage and installed temporary bumps made of quarry dust in the freshly repaired areas to avoid any such future incidents.

“The installation of these bumps and reduction of speed to 50KPH as indicated in the signage and as required in areas under construction will help to preserve the quality of the road and ensure the safety of road users,” he stated in a statement to newsrooms.

“Police have also been stationed near the construction sites to prevent motorists from speeding beyond the stipulated 50KPH limit.”

He added: “It is worth noting that the ongoing repairs have been slowed down by the huge traffic volumes on the road, which the contractor has to contend with, against the strict timelines set for completion of the maintenance works.”

Murkomen hence urged motorists using the road to exercise caution and adhere to the signs as well as the set speed limit while approaching the areas under maintenance.